When we were trying to get the Heartlands Project and the Heartlands Trust Company going and were working with two entities, the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria, and the Pacific Lumber Company, one of the economic development concepts we had was using an existing Palco industrial property located within the town of Fortuna as a site for a "Redwood Emporium" that would include a "Big Box Co-op" store, i.e. a Co-op with greater and more varied inventory than one finds in existing co-op food stores.

Shipping would be a major factor as the site sits next to the major 101 hwy serving all of Northern California's coast and inland valleys. We had already established a working relationship with Chinese owners of a shipping container company owner (Evergreen) located in Humboldt County at that time (have since moved away) and were discussing a possible trade arrangement between China producers and the Wiyot Tribe who have harbor land and could conceivably start their own Free Port bringing in overseas goods without U.S. tariffs thus undercutting costs of say Amazon, or any other big American outlet store chain. With an ability to circumvent tariffs and import duties as tribal entities, tribes with coastal access tribal land could act as gateways for importing all types of items made cheaper overseas. Big Box Co-op coupled to Communergy Club social organizing would make competition with Amazon feasible.

 

Also see the Communitarian Society page.